The Order of The Raven
by FromCaliToJersey
Summary: From the moment of his mum's passing when he was only 10, Liam Kingsley has been in a living hell. The victim of physical and mental abuse at the hands of his father, he, after turning 18, gets kicked out of his house and forced to live on the street. But there's one continuous ominous question that's never ceased to haunt him: Could she have been saved? Or was her death planned?
1. My 18th Birthday

_**REVISED! **So, this is a little story that I've had planned in my mind for quite some time now and I've finally had the guts to write on my own. Its a little different than what you're used to reading if you've read any of the other stories on this page. This story will be on the darker side of things. So be warned, if you're sensitive about abuse and that kind of material, this story isn't for you. But for those of you who are interested, by all means leave a review and let me know what you think. Detonation: The story that's being worked on now is a priority, so this piece will have updates that are a bit lagged. Besides all that, enjoy. -Lupita_

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><p>I always thought that I was a bit different than everyone else.<p>

But the thought never became a reality until one cold and rainy winter morning in November on the day of my birthday that my life changed, forever.

I woke up elated and excited. You know that feeling where you just own the world and you can do anything. Or you just dance for no reason whatsoever? That nothing can or will go wrong?

I remember going downstairs in my navy colored pajama pants. I remember my hair being a complete mess of brown curls that stuck straight up. That stupid looking cowlick near the side was something I was never able to tame, so I stopped trying years ago.

Knowing our elf, Natty, would have made my special birthday breakfast: Chocolate Chip pancakes with little candles, scattered around, with crackling fireworks spurting out of the wicks. I was looking forward to actually head downstairs, nearly tripping over my feet as I slid down the banister.

I know I was getting old for it.

_After all, how many times can you turn 18 right?_

But still, something about knowing that someone, at least one person cared about me for those few wonderful moments, made everything worthwhile, even if it was just an elf.

The dining table was at least 15 feet long, and stretched halfway around the room. We all sat at the four ends of the table, with father at the end, never saying a word, always with his nose in the prophet while the rest of us ate in silence avoiding his occasional glances our way.

I sighed as I sat at the table alone, thinking of Kitty, who was studying at Hogwarts and wouldn't be home for another three weeks.

"Thanks, Natty." I forced a small grin at her tiny elf as she placed the dish on my plate.

She smiled in return and bowed, scurrying quickly out of sight, before my father had caught her cooking anything 'special' for me. I usually had to eat before our grandfather clock had struck 8 o'clock and he would pay the owl for delivering his copy of the prophet. In case you hadn't noticed this yet, he wasn't the loving sort, Benjamin. And I often reminded myself that despite everything he was still here and I was stuck living with him.

My mouth watered as the steam radiating from the buttered dish entered my nose, taunting me, begging me to take a sample and brush its sticky and sinful sweet delight across my tongue and down my throat.

Just as I had sat down and was about to bite into them, I heard my 'wonderful' father's horrible voice, screaming my name.

I was sure I had inevitable done something to have pissed him off. What it was though, I couldn't really comprehend at that moment. Double crossing him was fun and all but I hadn't done it lately, for about 72 hours and 24 minutes, but who's counting?

I was what he liked to call, his one 'mistake' and he never failed to remind me of it.

"Liam!" I heard him shout.

I rolled my eyes and ignored him, picking the fork up and stabbing it into my food, gravitating it towards my lips.

"Liam! Get the fuck in here! Now!"

"Just shut up old man." I muttered.

"Boy! I'm not playing with you! Get inside my office immediately!"

My fork fell into my plate as a groan of frustration escaped my lips, begrudging to get to my feet. My food had still yet to be eaten and this fucker had the nerve to call me up as if I were some kind of lower inferior.

_That's pureblood mania for you, I guess._

_Oh yeah, in case you hadn't noticed, I come from a pureblood family. One of the Wealthiest in the Wizarding World, and my family's social standing's are pretty obvious: My father was 'friends' with the Malfoy's, Nott's, Goyle's, Blacks..essentially anyone who was well respected in the Wizarding community and a Slytherin, knew my father. We lived in large estate, with enough fucking land to house 20 wizarding families and then some...Need I say more?_

Hell, I never even called him _dad._ He was always just refereed to as 'father'. And I use the term _father_ very loosely. To be honest, I considered our elf more of a parent than he ever was.

Couldn't he just give me one moment of peace? I mean, it was my birthday.

"Liam!"

Humoring the man, I made my way towards his office, where he was waiting for me, sitting in his leather chair with his arms folded on the desk, black leather riding crop in hand and an angry scowl across his lips, tapping the riding crop in a steady periodic rhythm on the inside of his palm. Dressed in his favorite black suit and his hair was combed neatly. I turned to see the fireplace out, which chilled the room even more than usual.

"It took you long enough." He spat, snapping the crop in his hands. "Sit down."

I scoffed out of instinct, refusing to do what he had asked me and rolling my eyes. "I prefer to stand."

"Fine, stand. What do I care!" He threw his hands in the air, brown eyes burrowed into me with such hate and negativity, anyone else would have cowered and wished to have that image forever obliviated from their minds.

"Just get to the point." I groaned, "What did I do this time?"

"Do you know what today is?" Benjamin drummed his fingers against the table, completely fixated on the grain of the wood of his desk.

"Well," I began, thoughtfully, rubbing my chin. "It's Tuesday, so-"

He slammed palms against the table to the point where I knew his hands would pay for it later, now at his feet and making his way towards me. Now directly in front of me; his veins popping out of his head and face red.

"Don't play the asinine card with me, Liam!"

I clicked my tongue, tilting my head to the side like a puppy would towards human speech at a word it failed to understand. "But you do it so well."

My face instantly burned and stung as he whipped my head around sharply.

I had been struck hard against my cheek with his riding crop. This isn't to say I didn't expect it. He loved using me as an example for my two sisters whenever I managed to fuck up, which was often.

_But they weren't here, so again, I asked myself, what was he up to?_

I turned my head to glare at him. My cheek was burning like mad and I could feel moisture accumulating in my steel blue eyes but I wouldn't cry. Ever. It would only give him the satisfaction that he hurt me.

"I've had enough of your disrespect!" His shaky finger waved in my face while I only stared at him, unnerved. "You didn't want to take school seriously. Your criminal record is by far the worst I've ever seen. And frankly, you're 18 now...I have no reason to keep you here anymore."

"This is because I wasn't placed into Slytherin isn't it?"

"You had no business being in Gryffindor! Your grandfather, his father, and his father before him, they were all placed in Slytherin and what do I get from you?!"

He was kicking me out of my own home. The house I lived in my entire life. All without any remorse whatsoever. I never hated anyone, but my father was an exception. I hated him with every fiber of my being and then some. He'd been this way ever since our mother had passed away. It turned him into a bitter and cold wizard, and I always ended up at the short end of his riding crop.

My younger sisters however, he never touched. They were his perfect little drones, obeying his every word. Donatella, I couldn't stand. The way she spoke with a nasally tone, her pointed nose, and overall snobby, arrogant attitude only reminded me of him and I often told people we weren't related. Kitty, on the other hand, I loved. She was the only person I could really be myself around and the thought of leaving her with him, made me sick to my stomach.

If it hadn't been for Kitty, I would have gladly left a long time ago.

"For the record, the only one of us who actually _got_ into Slytherin was Donatella. So why the fuck do you take everything out on me for not being in your stupid house?!" I snapped, my fists ready to slam hard against his jaw and break it, smashing his face in until my hand was so sore and tired that I couldn't move it anymore.

"I ONLY HAD ONE MALE DESCENDANT! AND YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IN SLYTHERIN!" His father screamed, the sharp, stone like voice echoing throughout the house.

_Shit, Benjamin was laughing, this wouldn't end well..._

"How am I supposed to show my face anywhere with YOU weighing me down? I'm a laughing stock!"

"So, what? You're kicking me out?" I said blankly, raising a brow.

"Get out of my house." He ordered, waving his wand at a now open door to his office. "Get out of my house and never show your face around here again."

"In case you hadn't noticed, _Benjamin, _this is MY house too."

"I gave you plenty of chances, Liam!" He screamed, throwing the chair closest to me onto the floor in a blind rage. Probably hoping to scare me. "I even cleared your record, you delinquent fuck and this is the thanks I get!"

"Excuses. Excuses." I scoffed.

"NO! All we asked of you was to go to school. Make a name for yourself...and you go out and get drunk and ruin every chance you had to become a healer!" He was going to slap me again, I could feel it in my bones.

_You forgot smoking crack that one night at Scott's._

"And I told you I didn't want to become a healer! How many times do I have to explain that before it gets through that thick head of yours!"

There it was, only this time he used his hand, leaving my other cheek with a fresh red hand print, like a red hot poker to cow-skin.

All it would have taken was a simple blow to the head. A snapped neck in his sleep and that would be it. I'd be free. Free from all of his shit and I'd never have him lay another hand on me again. But Kitty didn't deserve that, because the second I'd kill him, Auror's would have thrown me in jail and they would have left her in a foster care system. As much as Benjamin hated me, he was good to Kitty and I'd die before I took that away from her; cruel as it seemed, I didn't really worry about Donatella, mainly because I knew, one way or another that, with her blood status, title and money, she wouldn't have any problem rising above the lot of us and following in Benjamin's footsteps.

"Are you done?" I asked angrily, my fists balling into rock hard sledgehammers.

I'd never felt so cold in my entire life. My whole world was toppling down and there was nothing that could be done to stop this.

He stabbed the end of the riding crop into my chest hard, bringing me to groan internally, and biting down onthe inside of my cheek to keep from crying out. "Pack your shit. I want you gone before sunrise tomorrow."

"You're no son of mine." That was all he said before shoving his shoulder into me and storming out of the room, his robe billowing behind him.

And to my recollection, those were the last words my father had ever spoke to me.

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><p>I took a step back, looking around my bedroom. It was was so empty and barren and yet, I wasn't sad about it. The only real bit of emotion that happened to emerge was the thought of never seeing Kitty again, but even then it didn't evoke me into breaking down as I held my life, tightly packed in the suitcase that was weighing down my arm.<p>

My black spotted owl, Blade, was sitting at the top of window pane, staring at me, as if he too knew what was going on.

_How as I supposed to explain to him that we were being forced to live on the street?_

_I was faced with a difficult decision right then and there:  
><em>

_Leave him here to live out the life he deserved or force him to run away with me?_

"Look." I knelt down to his eye level, swallowing to wet my dry mouth. "I know you know whats going on. And I'm not going to make you do something you don't want to do." With a sigh, I held my arm out, scratching the underside of his beak, which was his favorite spot to be caressed and shown affection. "I only want what's best for you and if you want to stay here and live out the rest of your life in luxury as Kitty's owl, I wont try and stop you."

Blade backed away, as if I had insulted his mother or scorned his pride.

"You're staying then?"

Part of me was expecting it, while the tiny glimmer in the back of my mind was hoping that he would come with me, despite my newly found way of living.

Placing a small owl biscuit on my desk, I forced a smile at him and headed for the door.

I'd be lying if I said that quick and sharp sensation of talons digging into my shoulder didn't make me happier. I turned my head to see my faithful friend, right by my side and perched proudly.

With my wand tucked safety in a holster hidden in my coat, I gave my room one last glance before shutting the door behind me. Apparating outside of the estate, taking in the splendor and architecture _he _boasted about so much to his friends that were monetarily gifted, I shook my head and actually smiled. I didn't know why, but I did and it felt good to smile.

Keys in hand, I stepped into my black '72 De Tomaso Mangusta and with my owl safely settled in the front seat, I turned the car over and sped off into the night, burning skid marks on Benjamin's front lawn as a going away present for him.

If he knew...If only he knew what I was capable of, the power I possessed..He would have treated me differently.

I stared at my hands, watching as small embers were growing in my palms and trailing up my fingertips as I thought of him. That small spring of frustration was coiling tightly inside and it was being wound up so tightly, I was sure it would burst any moment and screw me over.

"Relax Mate. Relax or you'll end up exposing yourself."

If I didn't calm down soon, I would set the car on fire and seeing as I just got kicked out of my house, I needed a place to live...Let's be honest, a car is better than a cold bench.

Twenty minutes later and with only a slightly charred Steering Wheel, I'd say it went rather well. At least the whole 'not burning up the car' anyway.

I remembered that birthday so clearly in my mind, I could still taste the pancakes that never made it down my throat. The presents that I never got. The drawing from Kitty I would never receive and the hug my mother would never give me.

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><p><em>I've just been kicked out of my house.<em>

_I have nowhere to go._

_My father is an abusive prick who's done nothing but show me how much he hates me._

_My sister and I are the only ones in our family who weren't placed in Slytherin after decades of it being the sole house of our bloodline..._

_I've just turned 18._

_And all I have to my name is a car, my owl and the galleons I have saved at Gringotts._

_My name is Liam Edward Kingsley..._

_And as far as I know, I'm the only known wizard in the Wizarding world with this rare and abnormal gift..._

_I am an Elementalist._

_And I'm not prepared for the curve-ball life just threw at me._

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><p><em>If you guys have any questions feel free to drop me a message. I swear I wont bite unless you want me to, then all bets are off. LOL, But seriously drop a review if you liked what you read or have any criticism you want to throw my way. (good or bad)-<strong>Peeta<strong> **(but you can call me Mellark or Sherlock)**_


	2. Davina

_To Cease any confusion from here on out, parts of this story will switch from first person to third person. For the most part it will be primary third person, when Liam has flashbacks, it will usually be in first person narrative.:) Oh and if you were wondering what Liam looked like, his face claim is on the profile page for our account. Read and Review.P.S, Sorry if the first chapter kinda sucked. I've updated it and revised the first one if that helps. Hope this makes up for it. -Peeta_

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><p><em>Well, let me start off by saying that sleeping on cold leather seats in the middle of fucking nowhere sucks dragon balls.<em>

_I mean really sucks._

Liam's eyes went directly for the small pocketwatch given to him by his grandfather. There were many small scratches around the top of its gold face from being wound while under the influence. He was what we called a 'social drinker', now if that means becoming so fucking intoxicated that you can't apparate home... then he was social all right.

The dull and dry sensation in his eyes was getting to him; as he tried to pry them from their adjacent eyelids, they burned and refused to open. His wand, tightly slipped against his chest, stabbed him and he jerked, waking myself up fully, startling the owl in the process; who flapped his wings madly, screeching as Liam bonked his head against the roof of the car.

"Relax. Relax." He groaned, rubbing his head for relief. "For fuck's sake, we're the only ones here."

As he rolled the windows down to allow Blade to stretch his wings, a sharp gust of wind slapped Liam in the face. Mother nature's reminder of how what had happened last night wasn't a dream and he was still homeless...to an extent anyway.

Deep puddles riddled the grounds, gifting small lakes all around; bark encrusted tall trees were stripped naked of their leaves, leaving him feeling empty and out in the open, despite dozens of enchantments drawn up to keep his location hidden.

He decided on taking a small stroll, stretch his legs and all that.

However, the boots he was wearing sank in the water and now his jeans, which had been slept in, had water splashed along the top and were leaking into his socks.

He groaned for a second time, shaking the few droplets of water he could, off and continuing on his _merry _way.

_Merry...What a load of rubbish. _

"Well. You got your wish, Benjamin. I'm miserable and out of your way." Liam chuckled softly, looking up into the skies, now dark and of a purplish hue.

"You happy?! Stupid piece of shit!" He soon shouted.

An array of colorful swears followed into the mountainside. His built up anger finally surfacing and exploited into the deep hills for no one to hear. His own little piece of heaven spurting wings and taking flight within the depths of purgatory.

Steam rose up from the floor beneath his feet, as if an underground hot-spring lay below and finally bubbled up enough pressure to begin a small eruption.

Sunlight lay hidden past the mountains lips, it had yet to kiss the sky good morning. He assumed now that it was about 6 in the morning, light enough to be able to see but dark enough to prevent a clear vision of a path that would lead him out of here.

That all too sudden lack of noise however brought anxiety. There were no birds singing, not a peep. It was still and quiet. A calm before the storm or so he thought.

The sudden rustle to his right, peeked at curiosity and quickly he turned around, a blank expression laced upon his face as he saw nothing.

Surely there had to be logical explanation for it:

_An echo bouncing off an object from far away._

_My wild imagination._

_Blade perched up in a tree somewhere._

_Something..._

But there was nothing but water and trees for miles. Having driven for hours upon hours into who knows where, Liam ended up in these back wood mountains in the middle of nowhere after seeing invisible rabbits jumping into the path of his car and disappearing into thin air. The lack of sleep had divulged into blown out hallucinations and he deemed himself unfit to drive any longer in this winding road at cliff's edge.

"Blade?"

"Blade?" Liam called, small misty clouds escaping his chapped lips as he breathed.

When this didn't work and he didn't come, Liam stepped forward, licking his lips nervously with his wand leaving its holster and now tightly held in his grasp.

Another rustle was afoot and out of instinct, "Who's there?" He cried, turning around constantly to diminish the chance of a sneak attack from an unguarded flank. "Show yourself!"

_Was he slowly falling into madness? Seeing and hearing things that weren't there?_

"Who's there?!" Liam's heart fell into his stomach at the sudden sound of a branch breaking behind him. His breathing now shallow as he quickly aimed his wand blindly and shot a spell which would injure and maim his attacker.

The only thing he managed to stir, however, was the water on the ground from the rain they had last night and a large crater deep with mud, was the end result of the blast.

His heart jumped into over drive, picking up speed, thumping hard in his chest cavity.

Suddenly, a low and pitiful screech had him distracted enough to where he decided to investigate, keeping his wand ready, just to be safe.

There was a rustle, followed by more screeching under a bush the closer he managed to get, and when he finally reach the site, the noises stopped.

Knowing this could lose him an arm, Liam pried away the leaves and branches using both hands...What he then saw, shocked him...

Under a bush, being attacked, was a Raven, a young one at that, probably nearly ready to leave it's nest, by a badger, who had the animal by it's leg dangling from his mouth.

"Hey!" Liam shouted, punching the animal in the muzzle, hoping that it would let go. "Stop!"

When it clenched it's teeth around the bird's talon sharper, He found no other choice but to use his hand to pry the beasts jaw free and give the bird a chance to escape.

Liam quickly took this chance, after being bitten and scratched, while he had the animal nearby, to use his one element he knew would scare it enough to run. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, the ground shaking under his feet, the feeling of hot coils condensing in the pit of his stomach and when he shot his eyes open, water had risen from the ground in a tall wave behind him, awaiting his command to bring disciplinary wrath upon the misguided.

A growl fell from the animals lips as the fur along his spine raised up in order to make him seen larger and snarled, backing away with his trophy while the Raven chick still howled in distress.

He was running out of options, and with no disregard as to if someone was watching, Liam's ocean fleet attacked the persistent creature, soaking him to the bone in one felt swoop, actually sending him drifting a few meters away and into a small boulder.

It yelped loudly upon impact of the icy cold waters, it's side slamming into stone. The badger soon hobbled off as quick as it could, past the hill and into a burrow, leaving the washed out bird to fend for itself.

Liam then sprinted ahead, hoping the tiny animal was still breathing after all that.

"Hey." He said in a soft whisper, finding a muddy, cold bird in an open patch of land, approaching his little friend slowly, and bending down to inspect any injuries it may have gained.

"It's ok."

But the little Raven was smarter than that and pecked at his fingers when they got too close. Hissing at him with no fear, with what looked like a bloody broken leg, all splayed out and bent at an angle.

He raised his hands in surrender instantly and bent down to the chick's eye level on one knee. "I won't hurt you." He cooed.

A smile, a genuine smile graced his lips, "I bet you're hungry." And he reached into his pocket, pulling out the remainder of an oatmeal cookie, chipping off a piece and offering it to him with an open palm. "Here."

He looked Liam up and down warily, backing into the wet earth the closer the strange wizard got.

"Come on." Liam sat on his knees, egging the little guy on. "We both know you're hungry mate. The faster you admit that, the better I can help you."

Still, the Raven refused, eying his every movement.

"Look." He bit into the treat, quietly chuckling to himself. "It's not poison."

The Raven was persistent, he'd give him that, clever too. Though, it was strange for a fledging to be down here with no sign of a parent nearby. There was an awful lot of rain and wind last night, he could have fallen out of his nest or that badger may have taken him an easy target and stole him from up a tree.

As careful as he could, Liam reached over and set the crumb near the raven's head, earning him a long and deep puncture wound to his index finger as he for the third time, got too close for comfort.

"You've got a lot of balls don't you." He winced, yanking his hand away and shaking his injured finger to dull the pain and sucking on the newly gained wound to his appendage, and spitting out blood.

_Well this friendship was going off to a brilliant start wasn't it?_

"Just take a bite, will you?" He sighed, "I'm trying to be nice here."

The bird had puffed himself up with an open beak ready to strike.

Liam slammed his palms against his thighs in defeat, "Fine. Stay here. It won't be long before that badger comes back and I won't be here to save you." He stood up, taking one last look at the animal and shook his head, scoffing as he made his way back to his car. "What do I care?"

xXxxxxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The wind was picking up again, it's icy daggers snipping his jacket and breaking into his flesh. A dark and ebony gathering of calls from forest creatures sprung to live as night was approaching. Once high in the sky with grey blankets all around, the sun was nearly gone, dipping into the mountains with nothing but a sliver of gold to mark it's existence for that small period of time.

"Damn it. Where the fuck is he?!" Liam snapped, pacing back and forth near his car.

It was now late afternoon, and Blade still had yet to return to their camp site.

"He's never gone this long unless I've sent him on an errand."

He gazed up, scouring for any sign of his owl circling around.

"Blade." Liam whistled sharply. "Blade!"

_Was his companion in trouble?_

There would be no other way to calm his nerves than to go out and search for Blade, even if that meant having to drive day and night.

Liam jumped into his car, stabbing his keys in the ignition, turning the car over but jumped backwards, hitting his head for a second time as a surprising screeching came from his passenger seat.

"What the fuck?" He rubbed the top of his head which was now throbbing. No doubt there would an ugly lump growing beneath his curled hair.

There, at his side, was the little Raven nestled in one of his jackets, obviously pissed to have been woken up from his nap, flapping his one wing, and jumping up at him as best he could.

Liam stumbled out, falling into, you guessed it, face first into a puddle of water. "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

A mask of thin chocolate brown dripped down his face in clumps, dirt and pebbles in his teeth and grazing his tongue.

He reached up to wipe his face, blinking his eyes rapidly, mud stinging the already sore layer of corneas from the lack or sleep and briefly blinding him.

"Really?!" Liam leaned up against his car, spitting out all the debris that had rooted in his gums and under his tongue. "This is the thanks I get?!"

After everything that he had done for that little Raven who was on the verge of becoming nothing more than a snack a few hours ago, that BIRD was laughing at him.

Cackling away like some bloody lunatic at his misfortune.

Still, as he leaned in to peek at his reflection in the window, he had to admit, he looked fucking ridiculous.

"Hey!" Liam chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You don't look any better!"

"Now. Are you going to let me bandage that leg or are you going to keep being a stubborn ass?"

With a wave of his wand, he cleaned himself off, now inching towards the Raven. "Come on. You can bite me all you want AFTER I fix that leg of yours. Sound good?"

The bird headed right for his arm to clamp down and slipped, falling near the stick shift, uttering a small low chirp.

"See? You're hurting yourself." He sighed, scooping up the Raven in his arms and holding him close to his chest. "Now. Now. There's no need for all that. Shh.." Liam cooed as he ran his thumb over it's black feathered back. "It's all right."

At first the bird was struggling to get free, going bananas and flailing about like a child drowning, but as minutes passed, the screeching subsided, the flapping ceased and the quiet ensued.

"There. There." He whispered, tending to it much like a newborn babe. "What's wrong, eh? Lost your mum?"

_Yeah, Me too._

Orphans. Castaways. Forgotten.

Roaring spurts of rain were rummaging from enclaves of hills beyond; A storm would hit soon and if they didn't leave, the wheels of the car would sink into the muck and make it impossible to leave even if they wanted to.

"We can't stay here." He said to himself, looking around.

Blade would have to find his own way back to him, right now he had to abandon camp in the hopes for a better location.

Once back in his car, he shut the door, slowly brushing his wand over the fledglings feathers, to clean and dry them. Smiling as he saw that his friend had found comfort with a stranger and had fallen asleep.

With the tiniest of feather soft whispers, Liam casted a healing spell on the Raven while he was out, bandaging it in a splint after fusing the bone back together.

To his dismay, the Raven awoke with the most ear piercing screech he had ever heard, and shot his hands up to spare his ears of torture, the minute the bone snapped back into place.

_At least be civil about this._

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He exclaimed, "I was trying to help!"

_Seems that would be a no..._

"Ow! Stop that, don't be such a brat!" Liam's finger was being severed, or so it felt like, tapered between the beak, feeling more like a razor sharp blade than a mouth and with every move he made to break away, the bird only clamped tighter, refusing to budge. "Merlin's beard, let go! I swear if you were an actual boy, I would have punched you by now."

_Had he said something wrong? Possibly offended the creature?  
>Why else would he have been glaring at him all pissed off from his lap, growling?<em>

"What? What did I do now?"

His finger was tucked under the bottom of his shirt to clot the blood the Raven managed to spill, wrapping it tightly.

"Speaking of which, can't very well have you running around without a name now can we? That is while you're here, until you can fly off on your own."

He sighed for what seemed like the billionth time that day, "Since, I take it you're not a girl by the way you seem to attack me, I think-"

Without warning, his free hand was attacked, nipped at sharply, and cutting him off. "Ow! What?!"

This bird was not making this any easier for him, being a foul git and all.

"I'm sorry if I called you a girl, I won't do it again."

His bottom lip would keep him from shouting about the pain coming from his fingers, biting down quickly to muffle his cry and bouncing his heel on the car floor.

"Sorry! Fuck!"

_Why would this bird be getting all pissed off for no god damn reason?_

Then it hit him like a pile of hippogriff shite to the face.

"You're a girl." It wasn't a question, but a self-revelation.

"Is that it?" He chuckled, noticing that the bird had curled itself into a small ball of ebony fluff, with it's talons tucked inside. "That's the reason you were willing to chop my fingers off? You didn't want me giving you a boy's name?"

"In that case," He shrugged, "I don't blame you. I'd be cross if someone wanted to name me something I wasn't fond of."

"How do you feel about, Lucy?"

"Rose?"

"Allison?"

"Amber?"

Every suggestion he came up with was shut down with either a hiss or warning bite.

"You're rather picky aren't you?"

"Hmm." He tapped his chin thoughtfully, the small droplets of rain dripping on the outside of his car urging him to make a decision. "How do you feel about, Davina? It means cherished and beloved."

At least this name didn't seem to make her angry.

"You like it?"

She stared at him, nudging her beak against his waist and surprisingly, purring, nuzzling into his jacket to warmth and making herself comfortable.

"Davina it is then. Now, let's get out of here." He turned the car over for what he hoped to be the last time and drove into a path that would hopefully lead him back into town. "I've had enough of this place to last me a while."

This bird would be an additional reason of his vacant and blatant disrespect for sanity, and it was at that moment in time that the thought of never earning that said 'sanity' back, didn't bother him in the slightest.


	3. A Little Too Much

_I can't even recall when my last update was but I reckon now's a good time as any to get back into it. For the few of you who actually happened to glance at this work, I thank you. So its really for you that I at least attempt to finish this. Oh and things are getting a little hot and heavy...Just as a warning._

* * *

><p>"Merlin, I hate the rain." Liam groggily said to himself while watching the glass of his car splatter with muck as he went through a deep puddle. "All it does is get everything wet and dirty and just depresses people. I can burn my leg and get the same satisfaction from it."<p>

Did he happen to mention how much he hated losing daylight as well?

"Its not even noon and I've already mucked up my car more than a blond strumpet after seven fucking glasses of tequila." The trashiest drink known to human and wizard-alike, and the reason behind forty percent of all accidental pregnancies.

Not having a method of time keeping turns minutes into hours and hours into days, especially when lacking in proper entertainment. Particularly, his telly.

"I would say that it can't get any worse but if I do, I may pop a tire somewhere or end up breaking my leg." He glanced around, finding the only real living 'thing' listening in to be that_ same_ raven that was staring back at him in the _same _blank stare he was giving it._  
><em>

"...I'm talking to a fucking bird." He mumbled under his breath, locking his eyes back onto the same mundane scenery he'd been stuck with for the last forty-eight hours. "Bloody fucking-tastic, not only am I homeless, I'm also going crazy."

Liam breathed out a small hint of relief as he felt his wheels slightly shake under what felt like solid ground, and confirmed his finding of a town with the sight of cobblestone roads. "Finally."

His beloved London. At last he had reached her.

He would see about getting a room at the Leaky Cauldron, his favorite spot for a drink besides the Three Broomsticks since he could legally buy himself his drink of choice, hard liquor. Firewhiskey in particular.

It had stopped raining, _for now_, but the roads were still flooded, some areas so bad, they were closed and he had to make due with finding other means of getting here, which meant taking the what should have been 5 hour trip and turning it into a two day excursion. Scenery was nice, he reckoned but really, how many trees can you pass before the smell of pine needles make you want to vomit your brains out and all you can think about is how green the bloody grass is.

Again came the factor of using his 'talents' to make mother nature do his bidding but with so many muggles popping up sporadically, hiking up in the middle of nowhere surprisingly, he didn't dare risk exposure.

Not that he was one to complain but driving in what was now the pouring rain with a bipolar, excuse his French, _Bitch_, in his coat who at any moment decide she didn't like being inside the warm pocket of his jacket and peck at the delicate flesh surrounding his stomach did make him a bit nervous. Agitated to put it lightly.

Davina was sleeping for now, but after their past few 'encounters' with her, which all ended in slight bloodshed, expected the Raven to lash out at him at any given moment and show no mercy.

Not that he minded her company.

There wasn't a worse feeling on this Earth than being alone, only second to having your heart broken, so despite all better judgement, he kept her, plus, she was hurt and in need of being taken care of after all.

Still, it had been two days since Blade had flown off and there was still no sign of him. He wouldn't put it past Benjamin, intercepting the owl and capturing him out of nothing but pure spite. Being large for an owl, and sometimes what he liked to call, 'a loveable brute' the concern of another creature having him as a snack, didn't really concern him much anymore though his father shooting him without Kitty being home to protect him, slowly ate away in the depths of his subconscious.

When Liam finally spotted The Leaky Cauldron, his car pulled into the secluded alleyway and parked his car a block or so outside the establishment, concealing it with charms in case someone decided to come snooping. "Well." He sighed, stuffing the keys into his pocket. "Home Sweet Home, I suppose."

Davina rested in the safety of his jacket, snippy as always since he had the audacity to disturb her sleep, already gnawing on the inside material of his pockets with her beak.

"Now, I know you're grouchy but that's no reason to snap at people." He warned, gathering his suitcase and shutting the door to the vehicle. "This is where we're going to stay for a bit until I can find a more permanent spot. And I better not see you hiss at the barkeep. He's an old friend of mine."

There was a slight chill in the air that swept through his bones and he sighed, zipping up his jacket and hugging it closer to his body, gazing up at the clouds lazily going by in this winter weather, taking no means as to shift themselves to bless the people below with just a sliver of sunlight.

He heard a tiny screech of discontent coming from his jacket and a little black head peeked out from the open zipper, squirming to get a better look.

"Remember, pleasant." He chuckled, shaking his head and walking up to the door, opening it's doors as they both sought shelter.

As he entered the inn, the room went dead silent. Witches and Wizards shifting their heads like owls and turning around, old men setting their drinks down, everyone and he meant, _everyone_ stopping what they were doing to see who had just walked in.

It wasn't the first time he had been the center of attention and it certainly wouldn't be the last. Judging by their pursed eyebrows, dropped mouths and wide-eyes randomly scattered in union, he knew they were all probably thinking the same thing:

_What in the hell was the only son of Wealthy Business Wizard Tycoon: Benjamin Kingsley, doing in a place like this?_

He ignored the eyes brooding into his skull and moved past everybody watching him. He would pay for a room, and head upstairs to wait this whole thing out. The last thing he needed was his father getting wind of this too.

He found the barkeep quickly, clearing his throat to grasp his attention to the individual who had his back to him, strictly keeping his eyes on him and no one else.

"What can I do for you?" He heard the barkeep ask, and answered with a smirk.

"How about the decency of a proper greeting, you bloody ginger?"

The barkeeper stopped and quickly turned around, soon smiling at him, in disbelief. He was in his late twenties, with fiery red slightly spiked hair and green eyes which gave way for a docile demeanor despite his roguish appearance. A long pink scar across his right forearm, and a warm welcoming smile that didn't seem to go away.

"Son of a bitch." He breathed, "Where the hell have you been?" jumping the table and clapping him on the back in one smooth motion, yanking himself off at the sound of screeching bursting from his jacket.

Their reunion was short-lived thanks to the disapproval of a tiny female, who didn't fancy being suffocated so harshly.

"What the bloody hell you got in there? A banshee or something?!" The horrified barkeep asked.

"Or something." Liam hitched a laugh in his throat and unzipped his jacket halfway, the terrorizing creature warily hissing at the redhead.

"The fuck is that?" He asked horrified.

"What do you fucking think it is, Sean? A dragon?"

"Yeah, it bloody sounded like one." Sean straightened out his shirt and apron while shaking his head in disbelief. "Next time warn me before you go throwing animals into your pocket."

"Sean, this is Davina." He explained, "Found her in the woods after a bad storm, battling with a badger."

"Davina, eh?" Sean mused, laughing as he swore the bird threw him the nastiest glare he had ever received. "Poetic much, mate?"

Liam scoffed with a roll of his eyes. "Shut up, it's better than being cursed a ginger for the rest of my pathetic life."

"Ouch." His hand went to his chest, feigning a broken heart as he walked behind the counter once more. "And I thought the matching tattoos on our asses were a sign that you loved me."

Sean threw his rag on the table, leaning over the counter with his arms crossed. "Nice beard by the way."

"I know I look like an escaped convict." He drawled, pulling up a seat at the bar and setting his suitcase on the floor, resting his arms on the table and taking a quick glance around at the faces behind him.

_Escaped convict was about right._

"Didn't expect to see you here anytime soon." Sean was cleaning out glasses with a small rag, arranging them one by one under the table for the afternoon rush. "What you looking to drink today, mate?" He asked, taking a glass and setting it down on in front of Liam.

"Maybe later." He moved the glass away, clearing his throat and scratching his 4 day old beard. One of his many nervous traits he developed during his fifth year at Hogwarts and never grew out of. "I've got some things to sort out first but listen, have you got any room's available?" Liam asked coolly.

"I may have a few." Sean replied with hesitation in his voice. He noticed the crowd of people were still staring, rousing their judgey little eyes their way, and rose up. "Oi! Haven't you lot got more important things to do?"

Some shook their heads, others whispered to themselves, while a few merely pretended like they weren't eavesdropping to the conversation between the two after Sean gave them fair warning to mind their own business.

"Everything alright mate?" He asked a bit more quietly, keeping his voice low.

Liam knew now, more than ever that he would need to keep out of sight, and right now, discussing his future with a friend in an open area wasn't a way to go about such things. "It's a long story but I need a place to stay. Just until I get things sorted."

"Liam. Mate, if you need a place to stay-"

"I know what you're going to say, but I couldn't possibly ask you to do that. Thanks for the offer Sean but that won't be necessary. I just need to sort a few things out."

Sean sighed, turning around and went to the small box compartments behind his wall, all lined with a set of keys to each numbered section.

"Here." He handed Liam a set, "But my offer still stands, plus, I've got a great view of this witches apartment. And she doesn't like to wear suffocating clothes, if you know what I mean." Raising his eyebrows playfully. Just thinking about that witch tightened the material around his pants to the point where it was damn near uncomfortable.

Thank Merlin he never wore slim trousers and he stood behind a counter all day.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Liam chuckled, suddenly looking over at his jacket as his passenger was pecking at the gleaming reflective metal of his room keys.

"Did you trade her for your owl?" Sean's cheeky banter meant no harm by any means but to Liam, this pained at his heart.

He hoped his friend didn't think that he had been abandoned off in the wilderness. Blade had to know that he cared about the safety of his well being as he then frowned, avoiding eye contact at the thought of Blade suddenly disappearing. The owl had been a present from his mother for his 10th birthday, a few months before she passed. Needless to say, Blade had a special place in his heart and he missed the winged beast terribly.

"Blade's missing. I let him stretch his wings the morning after the storm and I haven't seen him since. And since I had taken the car up to the hills, I couldn't stay with another one on the way and risk getting caught in the bloody muck."

"Maybe he went back to your house." Sean suggested and was about to list off other options when Liam cut him off for a second time.

"No." He snapped with a locked jaw, raising his head slightly much like a caged animal would glare down his oppressor out of a desire to murder and chance a reveling revenge. "There's nothing for him back there. He wouldn't be in that place."

"Sorry. It was just a guess." Sean muttered under his breath and reaching out to stroke the Raven's head, just as quickly retracting his hand when Liam's jacket began hissing at him.

"Mind her. She likes to bite." He brought his fingers up to the light, extending his arm, fresh and healed cuts surrounding his light skin. "And not the gentle love nips either."

"You always liked them feisty, didn't you?"

Liam could only roll his eyes at the snide comment, brushing his index finger along the animal's beak as only a tender child would tend to.

"Hey." Sean broke him out of his revere. "My shifts almost over. Come on. You look like you could use a meal."

"No, I don't think so." He declined as politely as he could.

Sean rolled his eyes with a displeased look over his face, shaking his head lightly and folding his arms over his chest. "Oh come on. I'm not taking no for an answer. Just wait here, and we'll go."

"Sean," Liam sighed deeply, "I don't want you to get involved, it's-" He was interrupted mid-sentence as the booming voice of his friend cut him off at the knees.

"Oi! Will!" He called, throwing his dish towel over towards an older man with muttonchops and a bowl cut for his hair, just as he happened to turn and the alcohol ridden rag landed on the man's shoulder. "I'm gone for the day. Take over would you?"

"Not gonna go o't flying again are ye?" Will pointed up towards the ceiling and smiled, yanking the towel off and throwing it into a small sink basin behind him. "Is' about to rain 'gain." His thick Scottish accent bellowed from the pits of his gut, and seemed to get trapped in his beard.

"No. No. Will." Sean searched for his own set of keys behind the counter, scoffing at his friends all-too keen knowledge of himself. The man knew him better than a book, read so continually that it's ears were dogged and it's pages coffee stained from sleepless nights of reading. "I'm just going to go home, maybe have some fish and chips, call it a night."

"Well that's a lie if I Eva' 'eard one."

Liam cleared his throat, pulling the hood of his jumper over his head to conceal himself from the most disheartening looks that were being shot his way: there was disgust, disbelief, and his favorite of all, curiosity. He was waiting for someone to walk up to him and 'causally' bring up a conversation and ask what he was doing here.

Davina was either bored or cranky because she decided that she had had enough of being stuffed in a coat and clawed and nipped her way out of his warm enclave, leaping onto the slick table, wobbly getting to her feet and screeching, rushing to Liam's defense. Hollering with haste and now pecking at base of Sean's shirt: the only tangible object she was able to get her hands on, and ripping a tiny hole as some threads came undone.

"Oi! What d'I do?!" Sean exclaimed, yanking his clothes and backing away while the horrid bird chased him. "Call it off, mate!"

An ever so subtle smile frocked along a once straight and sullen line, curved with glee, both arms coming to cross themselves against his chest. It was amusing to say the least, watching a bird, with one wing wrapped in a sling, and hobbling about, picking a fight with a creature 20 times her own size. He wouldn't deny that he was becoming fond of her Gryffindor aptitude. She tested his patience far more than any other female had, and her drive to continuously push him, only fueled his fervor. "Seems to me, you're getting what you deserve."

"This isn't funny anymore, Liam!" Sean groaned, beyond frustrated and his patience wearing thin. "That thing is ruining my clothes!"

"That 'thing' has a name you know." He soon corrected.

"For fucks sake, Just call the damn thing away bruv!"

"Davina." Liam sighed, coming up behind her. "I know he's a right down prat," He began while Sean quickly glared, "Oi!" Inserting himself in conversation and then backing off as Davina hissed at him, aiming her 'jaws of death' right for his fingers, barely missing.

"But leave him alone. Being an insufferable ginger with grungy hair should be punishment enough without a few missing fingers."

"Come here." He cooed, reaching into his pocket for a few biscuit crumbs and breaking them up in his hands, clicking his tongue. "Davina, come on."

She turned around to look at Liam briefly, hopping forward with an open beak directed at the ginger and after one final warning hiss, hobbled over to Liam, pecking at the crumbs in his hands.

"Couldn't you have found a more amiable animal in need of saving?"

"If she bites you again, don't get bloody pissed. Davina doesn't find you to her liking, and you insulting her won't help."

"Insulting her? She's a fucking bird. Not some girl you're trying to bang."

He scoffed, lifting his head slowly to glare at him. "Have you always been this asinine or did I just never notice?"

"It's a gift mate."

* * *

><p>"So...You mean to say that he just kicked you out of the house?"<p>

Liam nodded, a mug filled with coffee held snugly in his hands, warming his frozen appendages from the cold. "I'm surprised he didn't do it sooner to be honest. It's not like he actually gave a crap about what happened to me anyway."

They spent most of the day just catching up, talking about nonsense for the most part. An untold chapter of some forgotten book found at the library, intrigued indulged and captivated and how its savior now filled with worry when discovering the last twenty pages of the ending were ripped clean off, missing, as if forcefully stolen and the author devastated to hear his work had been defiled.

Sean was the brother he never had and a friend thankful to be blessed with.

"Mate, I'm sure that's not-"

"It is." He interrupted, a cold glazing stare now running down Sean's spine. "And you know it. So stop trying to sound sympathizing. Besides-" Liam went back to his drink, taking a sip. "I'm better off without him. And the second I get my feet off the ground, I'm going back for Kitty. Whatever it costs."

"How's she taking it?"

"Kitty?"

Sean nodded his head in acknowledgement.

Liam's nostrils bellowed out a hushed scoff, as he turned away briefly. His undivided attention drawn to the bit of still awkwardness drawing out silence. Surprisingly, the Raven took well to the makeshift nest Sean had made out of an old basket and blankets, cooing quietly in her sleep with her head tucked away behind her back downy feathers. "She doesn't even know."

"Don't you still have your inheritance your mum left you before she passed?"

"Well yes, but now that I don't have any sort of housing besides my car, I'm trying to save what I have before Benjamin freezes all my accounts."

"He wouldn't-"

"Sean, let's not humor ourselves." With the last few droplets of his coffee and his belly comfortably swimming full of fish and chips, thanks to last nights leftovers, Liam eased his cup to the side and raised his hand to run it along the eaves of his sweat induced greased hair. "You know this is exactly the type of thing he would do."

He sensed the uneasiness in his mate's sudden change in attitude with regards to the mention of his father and what would become of his life. And threw a soft but playful smirk as he smacked the bearded wizard's face from depressed to just plain pissed off.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! Why did you slap me?!"

"C'mon mate. I have just the thing to help take your mind of things."

"By slapping me across the face?"

Liam's perturbed nature grew to that of a feline, curiously exploring new grounds with lightness of foot.

He asked as Sean jumped into the closet and drew out a white jumper, fueling his desire to acquire the reasoning and behind his sudden need for warmer clothes despite the fireplace radiating its own boiler room. Street clothes at that.

"Where the devil are we going?"

That's when it hit him. The playboy like grin on his face, the clothes he was wearing, a sudden lacking in verisimilitude and heavy with cryptic messages only shown in the few familiar qualities hidden beneath the cloak and dagger that were his little quips. Down to the very last hair on his head which he now smeared with gel after sticking his hand into the jar.

"Oh no..." He mumbled, staring at the reflection of a peacock preening in the mirror. "Good god mate, we're not going out racing are we?"

Sean swaggered around the house without an answer, picking bits and pieces to add to his ensemble that now adorned a heavier sweatshirt jacket with the Ireland's own Thomas O'Malley's lucky number 24 stitched along the backing along with the same white jumper, fresh pairs of trainers and enough cologne to take down a bull elephant; while Liam was right on his tail with his own motherly rebuttal. "Last time you used my car I spent weeks trying to get the body back to its original form. You fucking slammed into a mailbox! Who the devil hits a mailbox in the fucking daylight?!"

He'd be lucky Davina didn't suffocate in this 'death fog'. Merlin knows he thought he would.

"Hey! I would have made that turn if that copper hadn't come out of nowhere! and besides its dark now..."

"Yeah, there won't be any coppers out at this hour. They're all home with a pot of tea and scones.." Liam deadpanned.

"Let's just go! The night is young and I want to meet some woman who's ovaries haven't dried up yet."

That was beside the point, he wasn't going out looking like, well...would calling himself a homeless man be insulting or would the comment appropriate the situation. "But I haven't even showered!"

"Then take a quick shower!"

"I haven't done any laundry."

For Merlin's sake, he sounded like a woman, making up excuse after excuse in her favor to avoid giving in.

The taller Ginger came at him with both hands outstretched and cradled them on his friend's shoulders with the biggest puppy-dog face he possibly could. Damn stupid redhead was always good at the art of persuasion. "Mate, do you really want to spend tonight locked up in your room with that daft bird of yours or would you rather go out with me to this new pub that just opened in Upper Mail?"

There really was no honest answer he could say on his behalf other than..."Can I at least borrow some of your clothes?"

"That's the spirit! You'll see it will be a night you won't forget!"

_That's what I'm afraid of._

How many drinks does it take to get completely fucked?

Well, what else did he have planned besides crawling back to his room at the leaky cauldron and sleeping to forget his crap life for the remainder of the night? What's the worst that could happen?

"Why do I have the feeling that you're about to completely ruin my reputation in the midst of tonight?"

* * *

><p>"Sorry." She breathed as his lips fervently searched for her own in the pitch dark, running her hands along the back of neck and holding him close to her body as their limbs continually tangled themselves with each other.<p>

"No. My fault. Its a little crowded in here." In an effort to keep themselves on the edge of discomfort, Liam gently scooped her up in his arms, holding her up off the ground and hitched a laugh deep within his throat. "The sofa out there was filthy." He leaned in closer for another kiss, full of need and lust driven desires that shown in how tight the tent in his pants was getting.

"That was my foot!"

"Here let me..." Her back leaned against the wall and a shriek left her lips when a mop suddenly slid down and fell on the back of her neck. "Move."

"Maybe if I just adjust this here a little..."

She shook her head at the idea, taking his head in both her hands and made an effort to smile at him, despite he not being able to see. "No, we'll get stuck."

"Oh, isn't there another place besides this small broom cupboard?"

"Not one that's blind to surveillance."

They were in quite the predicament: Hiding in a cramp, damp room which no doubt was crawling with mold while his friend was beyond tipsy and her little group had formed a search party. Her name every so often audible through the loud thumping music playing overhead and plethora of conversations other people were having.

How in the hell did he end up snogging the one and only Narcissa Black, arranged to marry another man within a few months, in a cupboard?

_Oh wait_...

and it all came pouring back into him like the many shots of whiskey he'd happily threw down his throat.


End file.
